Shoe-cleaner.



H. H. CHAMBERS.

SHOE GLEANBR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11. 1912.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

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HARRY I-I. CHAMBERS, 0F FORT COLLINS, COLORADO.

SHOE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 15, 1913.

Application filed September 11, 1912. Serial No. 719,705.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HARRY H. CHAMBERS, a citizen of the United States, residlng at Fort Collins, in the county of Larimer and State of Colorado, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to shoe cleaners wherein rotatable brushes are provided to act in combination with a scraper to remove dirt from foot coverings inserted between the brushes and over the scraper.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a cleaner which not only removes the dirt from the sole of the foot covering but also from portions above the sole; to provide a device wherein the brushes are disposed to clean different sized shoes; and, in general, to provide a neat and eflicient dc vice of the character described, which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification :Figure l is a front elevation of the device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the brushes or cleaners.

Similar characters refer to similarparts throughout the views.

A suitable frame 4 is provided adapted to be fixedly fnounted and preferably having a horizontally disposed bevel scraping edge 5, similar to that of the ordinary scraper. Adjacent each end of frame 4 I dispose oscillatable arms 6, adapted to swing toward or from each other about pivots 7 I prefer to construct these arms with bifurcations 8, one at each side of the frame 4, the pivots being preferably bolts extending through apertures in said bifurcations and in said frame. Each arm 6, carries a rotatable drum-shaped brush or cleaner 9, the peripheral portions of which serve to clean the sides of the foot covering inserted therebetween. Inasmuch as the arms 6 are oscillatable the cleaners 9 may be moved toward or from each other so as to accommodate shoes of different widths therebet-ween.

Subjacent to each cleaner 9 and revoluble therewith, is a crown ratchet wheel 10. Spring pawls 11 act upon the teeth of these ratchet wheels in such a manner to permit said cleaners 9 to rotate toward each other when the foot is moved forwardly therebeheld against rotation in a counter direction when the foot is drawn rearwardly. These spring pawls 11 also act upon their respective crown wheels remote from each other in order to normally, but yieldably, retain the cleaners in the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Thus, provision is made whereby the cleaners are brought to closely bear against the surface of the foot covering to be cleaned. Furthermore, by this coaction of parts, the device is adapted for use in cleaning shoes of practically any size.

In order to simplify the device, the two spring pawls 11 may be made of one continuous piece of wire, having coiled portions 12 disposed about the bolts 7, and a stem 13 connecting said coiled portions.

In operation, the user inserts the shoe between the cleaners 9 from the front of the' device. Inasmuch as the pawls 11 are disposed to permit the cleaners to rotate in one direction, the frictional engagement of the shoes, therewith rotates the cleaners 9, while the sole of the shoe is supported on the scraper 5. It is to be noted that the cleaners may be separated according to the size of the shoe. When the shoe is drawn in a direction counter to that described, the cleaners are prevented from rotating by the pawls l1 and ratchet wheels 10, the former simultaneously holding the cleaners in close engagement with the shoe, and thoroughly cleaning the same.

Changes may be made in their details without departing from the spirit'or scope of my invention; but,

I claim 1. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame having a horizontally disposed scraping edge, two rotatable cleaners carried by said frame in close proximity to said scraping edge thereof and bodily movable toward or from each other laterally along the said edge, and means preventing rotation of said cleaners toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation of said members in a counter direction, sub stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame having a horizontally disposed scraping edge, two arms pivoted adjacent the ends of said frame and oscillatable in planes parallel to said scraper edge, two rotatable cleaners, one carried by each of said arms in proximity to said scraping edge, and means preventing rotation of said cleaners toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation of said members in a counter direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame having a horizontally disposed scraping edge, two arms pivoted adjacent the ends of said frame and oscillatable in planes parallel to said scraping edge, two rotatable cleaners, one carried by each of said arms in proximity to said scraping edge, and means for simultaneously actuating said cleaners bodily toward each other and preventing ro-- said ratchet wheels acting upon their respective wheels at points remote from each other to prevent rotation of said cleaners toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation thereof in a counter direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame having a horizontally disposed scraping edge, two arms pivoted adjacent the ends of said frame and oscillatable in planes parallel to said scraping edge, two rotatable cleaners, one carried by each of said arms in proximity to said scraping edge, crown ratchet wheels subjacent to said cleaners and rotatable therewith, and a pawl for each of said ratchet wheels acting upon their respective wheels at points remote from each other to simultaneously actuate said cleaners bodily toward each other and to prevent rotation thereof toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation of said cleaners in a counter direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame, two rotatable cleaners carried by said frame and bodily movable toward-or from each other laterally, and means preventing rotation of said cleaners toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation of said cleaner in a counter direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a shoe cleaner, the combination of a frame, two rotatable cleaners carried by said frame and bodily movable toward and from each other laterally, and means for simultaneously actuating said cleaners bodily toward each other and preventing rotation thereof toward each other in one direction, but permitting free rotation of said cleaners in a counter direction, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

HARRY H. CHAMBERS.

\Vitnesses M. O. Connors, IVILLIs HOFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

